York

York (ⁱ/ˈjɔːrk/) is a historic walled city at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England, and is the traditional county town of Yorkshire to which it gives its name. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events in England throughout much of its two millennia of existence. The city offers a wealth of historic attractions, of which York Minster is the most prominent, and a variety of cultural and sporting activities making it a popular tourist destination for millions.

The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Northumbria and Jórvík. In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained.

In the 19th century, York became a hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre. In recent decades, the economy of York has moved from being dominated by its confectionery and railway-related industries to one that provides services. The University of York and health services have become major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy.

Maine

Maine (ⁱ/ˈmeɪn/; French: État du Maine) is a state in New England, in the United States. Maine is the 39th most extensive and the 42nd most populous of the 50 U.S. states. It is bordered by New Hampshire to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the east and north, respectively. Maine is the northernmost state in the contiguous United States east of the Great Lakes. It is known for its jagged, rocky coastline; low, rolling mountains; heavily forested interior, and picturesque waterways; and also its seafood cuisine, especially lobster and clams. In spite of its maritime position, it has a continental climate even in coastal areas such as its largest city, Portland. The state capital is Augusta with a population of 19,136 (2010), making it the third least-populous state capital (after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota) in the nation.

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European encounter, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in Maine was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement in Maine, the short-lived Popham Colony, was established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate, deprivations, and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years.

York Beach, Maine

York Beach is an unincorporated beach community within the town of York, Maine, United States. The York Beach area consists of Long Sands and Short Sands beaches on the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Maine. The two beaches are separated by Cape Neddick. Cape Neddick and York Beach together comprise the Cape Neddick census-designated place, with a year-round population of 2,568. The town of York consists of the communities of York Beach, Cape Neddick, York Harbor, and the village of York, and in its entirety has 12,529 residents; in the summer months the population in the area jumps to an estimated 52,000 people.

Beaches

There are two main beaches which make up the York Beach area.

Long Sands Beach – This is one of the two beaches making up the York Beach town. Long Sands Beach is 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long and provides beach-goers with a large area for enjoying the water. It is home to the locally famous Sun N Surf Restaurant and the Anchorage Inn.

Short Sands Beach – This is the other beach and is located on the north side of Cape Neddick, home of Cape Neddick Light, locally known as "Nubble Light". This is a much shorter beach, with a more densely developed downtown area that has many historic buildings and stores. The area has many arcades, shops, restaurants, and nightlife fun for the whole family. Attractions include the Goldenrod, the Fun-O-Rama, and York's Wild Kingdom.

York Harbor, Maine

York Harbor is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of York in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,033 at the 2010 census. York Harbor is a distinguished former Gilded Age summer colony noted for its resort architecture. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

York was a prosperous seaport in the 18th century. Its harbor, then known as Lower Town, was lined with wharves and warehouses to which upriver settlers brought their goods for trade and shipping. The tongue of land at the mouth of the York River was called Gallows Point, where criminals at the Royal Gaol in York Village were hanged. At high tide the tongue became an island, from which a ferry licensed in 1652 crossed to Seabury.

During the Revolution, fishermen and their families abandoned the Isles of Shoals off the coast and floated their homes to the Lower Town waterfront, where they were rebuilt. They hauled their boats at Lobster Cove and dried their catch on fish flakes, after which the tongue would be named Stage Neck. In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson's embargo crippled local mercantile trade, and by the Civil War, Stage Neck had deteriorated into a ramshackle slum.

York, Maine

York is a town in York County, Maine, United States, near the southern tip of the state. The population in the 2010 census was 12,529. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort town. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, four sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus. It includes the villages of York Village, York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick.

York is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

History

First settled by Europeans in 1624, the plantation was originally called Agamenticus, the Abenaki term for the York River. In 1638, settlers changed the name to Bristol after Bristol, England, from which they had immigrated. Envisioning a great city arising from the wilderness, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, lord proprietor of Maine under the Plymouth patent, named the capital of his province Gorgeana. In 1642, by charter of King Charles I, Gorgeana became the first incorporated city in America.